Automatic pattern controlled milling machine



June 16, 1936. B SASSEN 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet l IZ' P 'INVENTOR.

' 550mm Jimwy ATTORNEY June .16, 1936. B. SASSEN 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Fild Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll lum 9; REVERSEIQ .9 22 PROGRESSION comm.

uomzomm. cYaE J7/\ U ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1936. B. SASSEN AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

June 16,1936. 3 SA EN 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 v 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Tz'qf 06 44 I2 9 w x V V! l ki t-"wi g. W x

INVENT R. AZP/X/AA 4 1m? ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1936. SASSEN 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 II/I1.

ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1936. B. SASSEN AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 .llll Illlll' ATTORNEY.

B. SASSEN June 16, 1936.

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 HHHHIIIIIIIIHHHHHMWII |H I I H l l i l i IN VE N TOR. flw/mw Jinx/y ATTORNEY.

Juhe 16, 1936.

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE B. SASSEN 2,044,020

12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 Z?! ZZZ r z J20 J INVENTOR. fiA MAASA Jfi/ BY W ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1936. B. SASSEN I 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 ATTORNEY.

June 16, a SASSEN 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 12 Sheets-Sheet 1O W Q 244 12 P] June 16, 1936. SASSEN 2,044,020

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 v 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 /0 v y E l lll 0| I II'HHIII I IIHI IIHIHI 2., I y; INVENTOR. 25 ZJ .flfi/WifiJflJfI/Y BY 7 WWW I29: .24 ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1936. B. sAssEN AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 ,5 Ail AMA A A Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,044,920 AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Application August 16, 1935, Serial N0.-36,562 zocisims'. (Cl. 90-135 This invention relates to machine tools and more particularly to automatic pattern controlled milling machines.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved pattern controlled machine which may be selectively utilized for two-dimensional profiling purposes or for three-dimensional die-sinking purposes.

Another object of this invention is to improve hydraulically operated pattern controlled machines by more directly coupling the tracer con-l trol element to the actual part to be moved, thereby reducing the time delay between the initial movement of the tracer and the follow-up movement of the final controlled part.

A further objectof this invention is to provide in a pattern controlled machine tool having a tracer mechanism, whichis relatively movable with respect to a support and in a direction normal thereto, improved safety means for rendering the manually operable means impotent upon contact being established by the tracer.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a smplified cycle control mechanism for conditioning the power circuit of the machine to produce difierent cycles of operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide imprdved means for varying thechip size during a die-sinking operation.

'30 Still another object of this invention is to'pro vide an improved trip control mechanism for automatically changing the direction of relative feeding movement between the tracer and pattern.

Othcr objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by-reference to the following specification, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming .a'part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within ing mechanism.

Figure 3 is a side view of the machine shown in Figure 1 as viewed from the right of that figure.'

Figure '4' is a vertical section through'the ram taken .on'the line 4-4 of Figure 1. Figure5 is a section on the 1ine,55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view in elevation and partly in section showing the gear shifter mechanism for the transmission shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a section on the line of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section through the tracer head as 5 viewed on the line 88 of Figure 1.

Figure 8a is a section on the line -80 of Figure 8. Y

Figure 8b is a detail view of one of the control levers as viewed on the line 8b-8b of Figure 8. 10

Figure 8c is a detail view of the vertical progressive control lever as viewed on the line 8c8c of Figure 8.

Figure 9 is a detail section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8. 15'

Figure 12 is a detail section taken on the line 20 I2-l2 of Figure 11'. a V

Figure 13 is a vertical section on the line I3l3 of Figure 1 showing the servo-control elevating screw.

Figure 14 is a detail section on the line' 14- 5 I of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a detail section onthe line l5 l5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is detail section on the line |8--l6 of Figure 8. 30

Figure 17 is a vertical section on the line. "-41 of Figure 13, showing the connections of the power operable mechanism to the servo-screw.

Figure 18 is a section through the cyclecontrol valve as viewed on the line l8l8 of Fig- 35 ure 1.

Figure 19 is an end view of the cycle control valve block as viewed on the line Iii-I9 of Figure 18.

Figure'20 is a section through the cycle control 40 valve block as viewed on the line 20-40 of Figure 19. I Figure 21 is a section on the line 2l--2| oi. Figure. 20. 3 g Figure 22 is a section through the cycle control valve block showing the details'oi the manually adjustable reverse valve.

Figure 23 is a section through the bed of the machine as viewed on the line 2323 of Figure 3. 5

Figure 24 is a section on the line 24-24 of Figure 3 showing details of the feed rate control mechanism.

Figure 25 is a detail section onthe line 25-25 of Figure 24. I 1 i 55 Figure 26 is an enlarged detail view showing the markings on the cycle control valve plate.

. Figure 27 is a detail view of the coolant selector draulic circuit of the machine.

A machine similar .to that shown in my copending application, Serial Number -747,267, filed October 8, 1934 in the United States Patent once, has been selected to embody the principles of this invention, although it is to be understood that the various elements, such as the work support, tool spindle, and the like, could be allocated to other than the planes in which they are shown without departing, from the principles of this invention.

As shown in Figures l and 3, the machine structurally comprises. a bed unit l3 upon which is slidably mounted a pair of slides II and I! which may be termed a table and a ram respectively. Mounted for vertical movement on the end of the ram is a third slide l3 which may be termed a carrier, having joumaled therein a tool spindle l4. The table and ram are movable along axes which lie in intersecting vertical planes and the carrier I3 is movable in a direction parallel to one of these planes, whereby as respects the end of a tool I! carried by the spindle and a given point on the work support, relative movement may be had between these points in any one of two directions in a horizontal plane, or

, in 'a vertical planefor profiling purposes; or in able from a hand wheel 23 through a worm II and a worm wheel 23, the latter being keyed with the shaft II. The worm .is keyed to a shaft 23 upon which the hand wheel 23 is also mounted.

.The power means for rotating the spindle, or

in other words, the spindle transmission, is more particularly shown in Figures 4, 5," 6, and 'l to which reference may now be had. A prime mover in the form of an' electric motor 24 is mounted on a support 33 which is pivotally mounted at one side on the rod-23 carried by an integral part of the ram 12 and-an adjusting rod 21 is pro vided whereby the driving pulley 23 on the end of the motor shaft 23 may be adjusted relative to a main drive pulley 33 to maintain tension in the multiple V belts 31 which connect the pulley 23 to the pulley 33.

The pulley. 30 is keyed to the end of shaft 32 uponwhich is splined a pair of shiftable gear couplets 33 and 34, the' first couplet including gears 33 and 36 which are shiftable respectively into mesh with gears 31 and 33 fixed with shaft 33. The other couplet comprises gears 40 and 4| shiftable into mesh respectively with gears 42 and 43, also carried by shaft 33, whereby the latter may be rotated at any one of four different speeds; A third shaft 44, parallel to the other shafts, carries a pair of shiftable gears 45 and 46 adapted to be intermeshed with gear 42 or. gear 41 carried by shaft 33. The shaft 44 has a final output gear 43 intermeshing with gear 43 which is keyed to the end of shaft 50.

The mechanism for shifting these gears is partly shown in Figures 6 and 7 and comprises a rotatable cam shaft ll upon which-is-slidably mounted the shifters I2 and 33 for the couplets 33 and 34 respectively; and a second cam shaft 54 on which is slidably mounted a shifter SI for the gear pair 45-43. The shifters 52 and 5 33 have followers 56 and 51 which ride in cam grooves 33 and 53 respectively of cam shaft II, and the shifter 33 has a follower 60 which rides in a cam groov'e 3| formed in the cam shaft 34. These two cam shafts are interconnected fozsll multaneous rotation by gears 62 and G3 which are in the ratio of two to one. The shaft has a spiral gear 34 which meshes with a spiral gear 35 integral with shaft 66 which has secured to one end a manually operable handle 61 whereby rotation of this handle will effect rotation of the cam shaft 5i, and through gears 63 and 32, rotation of shaft 54, but at one-half the rate of speed as the shaft II.

A bevel gear 33 integral with gear 62 engages bevel gear 33, as shown in Figure 7, for rotation of a rate dial I3 which is secured on the end of shaft II, which shaft carries the bevel gear 63. The shaft II is journaled in the wall 12 of the detachable shifter bracket 13 and is on the exterior of the machine for observation by'the operator. The three cam grooves are so shaped as to successively position the gears to effect a geometrical progression of speeds.

The shaft 53 has a bevel gear I4 secured to the end thereof in engagement with a bevel gear 15 fixed to the end of the vertically extending spline shaft 16. This shaft passes through the splined bore of a spur gear I1 which is joumaled in a bracket 13, which bracket is integral with the quill It for movement therewith.

The shaft 13 also passes through the-bore of a pulley 13, also anti-frictionally journaled in the bracket I3. The spur gear I1 is operatively connected by a shiftable idler gear 33 to gear 3| 0 keyed to the cutter Spindle H. The idler gear 33 is anti-frictionally journaled on a shiftable sleeve 33 which is adapted to be moved upward from the position shown in Figure 4-to disengage the idler gear from the spur gear 11 and thereby 46 break the driving connection with the gear 3i. When this is done, however, a shifter fork 32 moves a clutch member 33 splined on the shaft 16 into driving engagement with the pulley I3 by interengagement of clutch teeth 34 with similarly formed clutch teeth 33 carried by the end of the pulley 13.

The .pulley "is connected by a plurality of 'V belts 33 to the small pulley 37 in' a multiplying ratio whereby when the pulley 13 is driving the 65 cutter spindle l4, the same is rotated at a relatively high speed and when the pinion I1 is driving the spindle it is rotated at'a relatively slow p As shown in Figure 5, the sleeve 32 has integral rack teeth 33 interengaged by a pinion 33 secured to the end of shaft 33. This shaft is connected by bevel gears 3i and 32 to a vertical spline shaft 33. The shaft 33 is held against axial movement in the carrier i3 and the bevel gear'92 is fixed with the bracket 13 for movement therewith. The spline shaft 33 also has a bevel gear 94 intermeshing with bevel gear 35 fixed to the end of shaft 33, which shaft extends through the carrier to the front of the machine where it is provided with a manually operable handle 91 whereby rotation of this handle will, through the bevel gear.

' cause rotation of shaft 30 and thus a shifting of the idler gear 80 and shifter fork 82 so thata change may be made from high speed to low control pin I32.- This 'pin is fixed in a plunger speed, or low speed'to high speed in spite of the fact that the bracket I8 is in itself vertically adjustable.

As shown in Figure 1, the handle 91 is adapted to interengage with a pair of notches 98 and 99 for holding the same in either one of its two positions.

The bracket '18 is guided on a pair of rods I and II more particularly shown in Figure 5, and held against rotation bya lug I02 which projects from the rear side thereof and engages a hardened steel guide I03. 7

Thus a spindle transmission has been provided for the cutter spindle which is adjustable to yield a high series or a low series of rates and the controls therefor are conventionally located on the' As shown in Figure 4, the ram I2 is provided 1 with a cylinder I04 which is fixed therewith and has a contained piston I05 integral with a piston rod I06 which extends beyond either end of the cylinder and is attached at III! to the bed I0.

Admission or fluid pressure to opposite ends of the cylinder will cause opposite movement of the cylinder I04 and thereby the slide I2.

7 Referring to Figure 28, the cylinder I04 iscon nected by channels I08 and I09 to a reversible.

variable delivery pump H0.

The table II, as shown in Figure 1, has a'cylinder III and a contained piston H2, thelatter being connected by apiston rod I I3 which pro jects through both ends of the cylinder for con meeting the pistonto opposite ends of the table to cause movement thereof.

Referring again to Figure 28, the cylinder III is connected by a pair of channels 4 and I I5 to a. second reversible variabledelivery pump I I6. A cross section through one of these pumps is shown in Figure 12, and each pump is provided with a pendulum which are pivotally mounted for adjustment about fulcrums Ill and H8 respectively, which serve to change the direction of flow as well as'the quantity of flow. These pumps are co-axial as shown in Figure 11 and are driven from a common prime mover I I 9 which is carried by the ram I2.

In Figure is shown the mechanism by which the pumps are connected for joint control. The

pendulum I carries a roller I2I which engages against the end of a slideable rod I22 and is held in engagement therewith by a spring I23. The pump pendulum I24 also carries a roller I25 which is held against the end of a slideable rod I26 by a. spring I21. Each roller, however, is rotatably mounted in an adjustable arm I28 which is pivotally connected by a pin I29 to the pendulum and a pair of set screws I30 are carried by the arm and abut against opposite sides of the pendulum whereby the set screws may be adjusted to position the pendulum relative to the position of the rod. I22or I20 which is fixed length. The reason for this is that the rods I22- and I26 both engage the periphery of a roller I3I which is carried, as shown in Figure 8, by a lever arm of the adjusting screws I30 with respect rateof operation of the pumps it is only necessary I 33 which is axially movable to eccentrically posi- When the pin is concentric with the axis of 5 the tracer head both pendulums should be in such position that the volumetric delivery of the pumps H0 and H6 should be absolutely zero.

-Therefore, in setting up, the pin I32 is first positioned concentric with the axis of the tracer 10 andthen the set screws I30 are adjusted to exactly position the pendulums to yield a zero displacement of the pumps while the roller I2I is still held in contact with the end of the rod I22. Since the 15 to the axis of pivot pin I29 is considerably greater than the lever arm of the axis of roller I2I with respect to the pivot I29, a very fine and accurate adjustment may be obtained and maintained.

After this adjustment has been made it will be 20 pin is moved in a given direction the faster willbe the rate of said relative movement.

A first means has been provided for controlling the radial movement of the pin which will be t termed the feed rate control mechanism, and a second means has been provided for controlling 35 the angular movement of the pin about its center position for changing the direction, and this means may be controlled automatically by the tracer, or manually bymeans of a steering wheel associated with'the tracer head.

The means for controlling the radial movement of the pin will now be described, reference being had to Figures 1, 3, 8, 23,24, 25, and 28. The mechanism for controlling the position of the pin is so designed that the position of the pin varies in accordance with the rate of flow in a control channel whereby in order to change the position ofithe pin to increase or decrease the for the operator to change the rate of flow in said channel. This is accomplished by providing a variable delivery pump and a control lever for adjusting the delivery of'the pump and associating a graduated scale with the control lever, whereby for any given adjustment of the pump a reading will be obtained which will directly indicate the rate of linear travelof the tool with respect to the work.

The variable delivery pump, indicated by the reference numeral I34, is shown in Figures 23, 24, and 28. As shown in Figure 28 this pump has an intake I35 for withdrawing fluid from 1 a reservoir I36 which is located in the bed I0 of thev machine and a delivery pipe I31 which is connected to port I38 of cylinder I39, which cylinder contains the plunger I33. In principle, an hydraulic resistance is provided for varying the rate of escape of the fluid from the end or the cylinder and thereby varying the unit pressure acting'on the right hand end of plunger I33. This hydraulic resistance may be created by forming a taper I40 on the. end of plunger I33 which is movable with respect to an elongated port II which has connected to it the return line I42. As

therateofescapeoftheincomingfluidisvariedand thereby the lmit pressure is varied.

In order to stabilize the position of plunger I33 an opposing pressure must be created which must have such a value that when combined with the reaction of'the pump pendulums on pin I32, they will be equal to the pressure on the right end of the plunger. This opposing hydraulic pressure is supplied by a variable delivery pump I I3, which as shown in Figure 24 is mounted co-axially of the prime mover III for simultaneous Ectuation thereby along with pump III. The pump II3, although of the variable delivery type, is initially adjusted when the machine is built to supply the 4 necessary operating pressure. This pump has an intake III and a delivery channel I through which fluid is delivered to port III located in the left hand end of cylinder III.. This pressure is resistance III, serially arranged therein to port -II3 of the diflerential valve. The differential valve plunger III has an annular groove III formed therein which is of such longitudinal length as to completely uncover port III but partially close port I. The annular groove is connected by a cross bore III to an axial bore III which terminates at the large end'of the dinerential plunger. The left end of the valve cylinder III, as viewed in Figure 28, is connected through an hydraulic resistance III to a return line III.

The operation of the device is as follows. Whentheplungers I33and IIIarestationaryand in equilibrium, the hydraulic resistance formed by. the tapered spool III, partially closing port III, creates'a deflnite pressure in line I31 and thereby a definite unit pressure acting on the small end III of the differential valve plunger III. The fluid from pump- III at this time flows through port III, and due to the fact that this port is partially closed there is a drop in pressure created, which drop is sufllcient to cause the unit pressure acting on the large end III of plunger III to be one-half of theunit pressure acting on end III whereby the total pressure acting on the end III is equal to thetotal pressure acting on the end III. On the other" hand, the fluid resistance formedby the partiai closing of port III builds up a deflnite pressure in channel IIIwhich is communicated, through port III, to the left end of plunger I33 and this t pressure may be greater or smaller than the unit pressure acting on the right hand of plunger I33, depending upon the resultant reaction of the pump pendulums on the pin I33 because they are capable of acting in a direction with or opposed to the force acting on the left end of plunger I33,

The hydraulic resistance I52 creates a deflnite drop in pressure to the port I53 and since this port.is never closed and since the flow in line III is constant it insures that a deflnite pressure will be acting on the left end of plunger III which may be varied in accordance with the opening or closing of port III. .Since the higher pressure in line III is capable of being admitted to the left end of plunger III it insures a quick positioning of the difierential valve when a change in flow occurs in line I31. I

If, when the parts are stabilized, a change in the rate of flow in line III is effected y the operator changing adjustment of the v ble-delivery pump I3I, the pressure in line I31 will rise or fall, depending, of course, upon whether the volumetric displacement of the pump is increased or decreased; and, if increased, the pressure acting on the right hand of plunger I33 will momentarily rise and thereby cause shifting of the pin I32 toward theJeft, and simultaneously this rise in pressure will cause a shifting of the diflerentialvalve I5I toward the left with the result that the port III will be opened. Since the fluid resistance at port III is now reduced the pressure in line III will momentarily fall, thereby creating 20 a large differential on opposite ends of plunger I33, thereby quickening its movement. The

movement, however, will open port III, causing the pressure in line I3'I to fall, thereby reducing the opposition to movement of the differential 25 plunger I5I toward the right. which movement will continue until the pressure built up on the channel I45 is suiflciently high to stabilize plunger I33 and thereby hold it in its new posi- 30 tion.

- the left end of cylinder I33 to follow up the move-' ment of piston I33 which will continue until the port III has been closed a suflicient amount to reestablishthe former unit pressure in that line. 40

The fluid flowin'ginto the left end of the differential valve cylinder is also utilizedto supercharge the circuitsupplied by pumps III and III and to this end the cylinder is provided'with a port III to which is connected a channel III having four branches-III, III, III, and III, in each of which is a check valve III whereby when the pressure drops in any of channels III, III, III or III below that determined by the setting of the check valves III the valve will open and admit fluid to the respective lines. The port III is so locatedthat when the plunger 5I shifts in such a direction, that is, to the left cause a building up of pressure on the end III, the port III will close so as to assist in building up this pressure. The mechanism for manually adjusting the variable delivery pump I II comprises a manual control lever III which is pivotally mounted on a pin III at the front of the machine as more particularly shown in Figure 1, and is connected by a link I69, Figure 23, and a crank I63a for rotation of a shaft I III. This shaft extends rearwardly through the bed to a point adjacent the end of the control pendulum III of pump I34. This pendulum has a roller I12 which is held by- 65 a spring I13 into engagement with a segmental shaped cam member "I. which is attached, as shownin Figure 24, to the shaft III. The shape of the cam is such that as the member "I moves in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 24, it will increase the pump displacement and thereby the feed rate. The handle I61 has a pointer I15 integral therewith which moves relative to a graduated scale I16 for indicating at all times the prevailing feed rate setting of the pump.

The mechanism just described is utilized for changing the radial position 01' the pin to and from the center or axis of the tracer head but this adjustment alone only changes the rate of movement but does not change the direction oi. said movement. The direction of movement is controlled by the tracer in contactwith the pattern, and the mechanism for doing this consists of an hydraulic control circuit and a power operable means for rotating the tracer head which in turn, determines the radial line along which the control pin will move. Fromthis it will be obvious that the cylinder I39 must be rotated about a vertical axis in order to change the plane in which the plunger I33 will reciprocate. To this end the cylinder is formed integral with the sleeve I11 which is rotatable in the casting I18. The sleeve also has integral therewith a gear I19,

which intereng'ages with a gear I88 attached to the end of the shaft of the hydraulic motor I8I.

As shown in Figure 28, the motor I 8I is connected by channels I82 and I83 to the cycle control valve I84, various sections of which are shown at I85, I86, I81, I88, and I89 in Figure 28 and taken along similar marked lines in Figure 18. The channel I82 is connected to ports I98 and I9I of the cycle control valve and the channel I83 is connected to ports I92 and I93 the cycle control valve. This valve has a rotatable plunger I94.

The plunger I94 has a handle I95 secured to the end thereof, as shown in Figure 18, and integral with the handle is a pointer I98 for indicating thethree positions which the valve may assume. When the handle is moved counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 26, to position the valve in its horizontal automatic" position, the

port I98, as shown in section I88 01' Figure 28, is connected by the cross bore I91 to port I98; port I9I is entirely disconnected from any other part of the circuit; port 192 is connected by a cross.

bore I99 to port 288 and port I93 is also disconnected from the; remainder of the circuit. The

result is that channel I82 is thus connected to channel 28I and channel I83 is connected to channel 282. These channels terminate in ports 285 and 288 of the tracer controlled valve. These ports are more particularly shown in Figure 8a and constitute radial bores extending tothe interior bore of the sleeve.

The sleeve also has a pressure'port 281, lo-

cated between the other ports, and connected by channel 288 and valve 289 to channel 2i 8, which receives its supply from an accumulator pump' 2I I, having an intake 2I2 throughwhich fluid is withdrawn from the reservoir I38. This pump has-a cylinder 2I3 in which is contained a. piston 2I4 engaging the displacement control pendulum 2l5 oi the pump. The end'or the cylinder is connected by a branch 2I8 to line 2I8 .whereby whatever pressure exists in the line also exists in the cylinder. A spring 2I1normally acts in a direction to increase the dl8p 9 ment' oi the pump and the pressure in the cylinder. and

when great enough to overcome compression the spring; acts to reduce the displacement at the pump. 3 This-automatically maintains-a "more or less constant pressure in line 2I8 and auto:

7, a neutral position, thereby preventing now to channels 28I and 282,. and thus no rotation 0! motor I8I takes place. 7

The tracer valve plunger 2I8 is supported by an antifriction ball 228 on the end oi the tracer arm 22L which has a hemispherical portion 222 intermediate its length whereby it is supported for universal movement; Dependence may be placed on the weight of plunger 2I8 to maintain the same in contact with the end of the tracer arm, or if not suflicient, aspring 222' may be exerting a downward pressure thereon. The ball 228 engages depressions in the abutting ends 01' the plunger 2I8 and the arm 22I whereby when the arm is laterally deflected in any direction, or

- axially moved, the plunger 2 I 8 will be also moved.

interposed between the top of the plunger for.

ter of the tracer head to control the resultant direction of movement of the two slides II and I2 will now be explained. It will be assumed that the tracer 223 is already in engagement with Figure 1 to a predetermined feed rate position,

which means that the pin I32 will be eccentrically located withrespect to the axis of the tracer head. The result is that. the tracer and cutter will be relatively moved in a predetermined direc-' tion, depending upon the rotatable position that the tracer head happens to be in, which position is always indicated by an arrow 224, Figure 10, carried by the spoke 225 01 a hand wheel 228, which, as shown in Figure 8, is integral with the tracer head. 'So long as the edge or the pattern 3 extends in the direction in which the arrow 224 points the direction of relative movement between the cutter and work and between the tracer and pattern will remain the same, but when the edge veers to the right or left of this direction the tracer will undeflect or overdefiect, and the valve plunger 2I8 will move awayirom its neutral position and either down or up, depending oi'course upon the profile. A

If it moves down, pressure from port 281 will be admitted to port 285 and, through the subsequenticonnections, to channel I82 of motor I8I, causing rotation of the motor in one direction and thereby a similar rotation of the tracer head and or the cylinder I39, thereby moving the pin' I32 in a circumferential direction about'the center of the tracer head. a

- Onthe other hand, if the valve plunger 2I8 is moved upward, the pressure port .281 is connected to port 288 and through the subsequent connections to channel I83 of motor I8I causing the same to rotate inan opposite direction with a resultant opposite direction of movement of the tracerhead and of the pin. In this manner the tracer is capable of controlling the rotational movement of the cylinder I39 and or the pin I32 which, in turn, correspondingly changes the ratio oi the displacement of pumps I I8 and I I8 in such amountsthat the resultant direction 01' movement is changed, and so changed as to follow the I direction or relative movement produced by slides II and i2 between the cutter and work andbetweenthetracerandpattem' Attention is invited to the fact that the portion of the tracer valve which controls the flow to ports 285 and 286 is in effect a servo control valve and that it is directly connected to the motor "I and that actuation of the motor Ill directly changes the direction of relative move ment of the pattern with respect to the tracer whereby the pattern reacts on the tracer to reposition the servo control valve and thus cause a follow-up movement which is typical of servo control devices.

When the cycle control valve is in the proillin .position, to which it is assumed that it has been moved, it also establishes certain connections whereby the vertically movable carrier may be manually adjusted at will and even dining a cutting operation. The mechanism for this purpose and the connections established will now be explained.

Referring more particularly to Figure 11, the

ram l2 has a cylinder 221 integrally attached thereto in which is slideably mounted a piston 228 which has a piston rod 225 extending from opposite faces thereof whereby the piston has equal pressure faces. The piston rod is attached at 238 to the vertically movable carrier l3.

The piston rod has a pair of axially extending bores 23| and 232 which terminate inports 233 and 234 respectively, which are connected by channels 235 and 236 to ports 231 and 238 of the cycle control valve, as more particularly shown in Figure 28. When the cycle control valve is in the assumed position to yield a profiling cycle, port 231 is connected by groove 238 to port 248; and port 238 is connected by groove 24! to port 242. These ports are connected by channels 243 and 244 respectively to ports 245 and 246 of the servo control valve, indicated generally by the reference numeral 241.

The servo valve 241 has a port 248 which is connected by channel 246 to port 256 of the cycle control valve. As shown at section I88, when the valve is rotated in a counterclockwise direction the port 258 is connected by diametrical bore 25| and intersecting radial bore 252 to port 253, which is connected to the output line 2i 6 of the variable delivery pump 2| I. Thus, the port 248 is at this time a pressure port, and is located between ports 245 and 246 so that upon relative movement between the plunger 254 and sleeve 255 one of ports 245, 246 will belconnected to pressure and the other one connected to exhaust.

The sleeve :55, as shown in Figure 15, is ro-.-

- tatably journaled on the plunger 254 which has a reduced portion 256 which is fixed with the ram l2. The lower end of the plunger has a nut 251 threaded thereon and so located as to permit a limited axial movement of the sleeve 255 relative to the plunger 254. The sleeve 255 has a rectangular shaped portion 258 on the lower end'thereof, as shown in Figure 14, upon which is formed a threaded segment 25! which meshes with the lead screw 268; A spring-pressed ball 2" normally acts to maintain interengagement between the segment and the lead screw. A fluid operated plunger 262 is adapted to act through the interconnecting pin 268 for causing rotation of the member 258 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 14, to effect disengagement of'the segment 258 from the lead screw 268. The plunger 262 is connected by channel 268' to port 264 of the cycle control valve, as more particularly shown in Figure 28.

When the cycle control valve is in horizontal automatic position, the port 264 is connected to the exhaust groove 265 whereby the segment 258 5 is in engagement with the lead screw 260, whereby at any time that the lead screw 26!! is rotated the servo-valve mechanism is operated to effect vertical adjustment of the spindle carrier.

The lead screw 260 has a bevel gear 266 integrally secured to the lower end thereof which" intermeshes with a bevel gear 261 secured to the end of therotatable shaft 268, to the outer end of which is attached a manually operable handle 269. The shaft 268 has agraduated dial 218 15 fixed for rotation therewith for indicating micrometrically the amount of movement imparted to the vertical slide.

In addition, dial 210, which of course only registers the movement effected by one rotation of the lead screw, the machine is provided with additional means for measuring the total length of movement of the slide up to and inclusive of its limit of movement. This means comprises a scale 2'" which is fixed against movement with respect to the ram 12 by the mechanism shown in Figure 13. Screws 212 serve to attach the scale 2' to a vertically extending member 213, which has a dovetail connection 213' (Figure 10) with the vertical'slide l3. The member 213 is connected by a pin 214 to the housing 215, which in turn is connected to the slide l2. The pin 214- passes through a bushing 216, which bushing rides in a slot 211 formed in the forward wall of the ram I3.

The dovetail guide 213' is formed in a plate 218 which also has formed therein a T slot 219, in which slides a T-headed clamping bolt 28lfor securing a marker 282, which may be clamped in various positions for relative movement with respect to the scale 21!. The member 213 may also have a T slot 280 formed therein to which may be secured adjustable markers 283 and 284 for indicating the limit of movement of the slide by means of the marker 282 which is movable 45 with the slide. The scale may, of course, be graduated into suitable main sub-divisions, depending upon the pitch of the lead screw, and movements less than these sub-divisions may be determined from the dial 210.

It will thus be seen that when the cycle control valve is in the horizontal automatic" position that the handle 269 may be rotated to move the spindle carrier up or down with respect to the work table. In so doing, the operator might not 55 watch the position of the tracer and a safety means has been provided to prevent the operator from continuing the movement after the tracer has contacted an object in order to prevent damage to the parts.

This means comprises a safety valve 286 which, as shown in Figure 28, has a port 281 connected by channel 288 to line 236, which leads to the upper end of the vertical cylinder. The valve has a plunger 288 upon which is formed a spool 65 298, the plunger being held by a spring 28! normally in a position to close the port 281; The spool 288 has a tapered portion 29 2 movable with respect to an exhaust port 29 whereby when the plunger is shifted toward e right the port 281 will be connected to port 283. This will open the supply'line 236 leadingto the upper end of the cylinder and prevent further supply of fluid thereto.

The housing 284, in which the plunger 283 is admits fluid to channel 298 and port 295, causing shifting of the safety valve plunger to-the right,'and automatic interconnection of port 281 with port 293.

If the handle 269 is rotated further, the spring I pressed ball 26I in Figure 14 will yield, permitting the member 258 to rotate in a direction causing disengagement of the segment 259 from the lead screw 269. This will prevent damage to the parts and prevent the servo valve from getting I out of position with respect to the control ports,

and so that when the pressure is re-established 'again it may immediately assume control.

When the cycle control valve is in 'the horizontal automatic position and the end of the tracer lies in such a plane that it is only necessary to move it laterally to effect engagement with the pattern, means have been provided for effecting this lateral movement comprising an engagement valve and a manually operable control valve.

therefor. At this time the tracer will, of course, be undeflected and the feed pump will be set at mm. A valve 392, having an operating handle 393, is positioned as shown in Figure 8b so that the arrow 399 thereon points to the position marked hand. This positions a cross bore 395 therein whereby it will interconnect port 396 of 'the tracer valve to port 391 located in one end nected the branch line 39l which'is supplied by the feed pump I34.

The control lever I61 is now moved to the right as viewed in Figure 1, causing delivery of pressure fluid through the connections just desscribed to the left hand end of the tracer engagement control valve, shifting the same to the right against the compression of spring 399. It

'will be noted that the line 3I9 which interconnects valve 392 to port 391 has a branch line 3 which is connected through an hydraulic resistance 3I2 to port 3I3 of valve 299.

When the plunger 3 is in its left hand position, as shown in Figure 28, an annular groove 3I5 formed therein interconnects port 3I3 with an exhaust port 3I9. When fluid is admitted to channel 3I9, however, the pressure gradually rises therein, in spite of leakage through resistance 3 I2 to reservoir, and causes movement-of the plunger 3" toward the right. This movement gradually closes port 3I3, thereby cutting down the amount of leakage and causing the pressure in channel 3I9 to continue to rise, whereby it reaches a maximum whenthe port 3I3 is closed, which thereby maintains the plunger in a right hand position, and at the same time, terminates further flow or leakage from channel 3| 9. When the valve is in its right hand position it disconnects port 3" from port 3I8,-

thereby disconnecting the pressure supplied ta port 291 of the tracer controlled valve. The .valv plunger 3 also has an annular groove 3l9 which interconnects port 329 with port 32 I. These ports are connected by channels 322 and 323 respectively to annular grooves 324 and 325 which communicate with ports 295 and 299.

This last connection, in eifect, interconnects channels I82 and I83 of motor I8I whereby the ,motor is short-circuited. This permits the tracer 5 head to berotated by the hand wheel 226 without interference from the motor. Thus the operator can rotate the hand wheel and steer the tracer in such a direction that it will contact the pattern.

-Upon engagement of the tracer with the pattern, the operator throws the valve control lever 393 in a clockwise-direction, as viewedv in Figure 8, to the automatic position. The valve plunger 392 has grooves 326 and 321 formed longitudi- 15 nallythereof and displaced. with respect to the cross bore 395, and since these grooves run out to the end of the valve and communicate with atmosphere they serve as exhaust ports for channel 3I9 and port 396. Since the pressure is 20 now reduced on the left hand end of 'the tracer engagement control valve, the spring 399 shifts the valve plunger 3 to the left hand position in which it is shown in Figure 28.

This immediately interconnects port 3" with 25 port 3I8 whereby fluid pressure is supplied to port 291 of the tracer controlyalve, and at the same time disconnects channel 323 from 322 so that the motor I8I is now no longer short-circuited but is connected through port 205 or 20s, 30 to the pressure port 291 and will rotate in accordance with the position of the tracer valve as determined by the amount of tracer deflection.

Should the operator fail to rotate the valve 392 at the proper time, no harm will be done 35 because the tracer will merely. be deflected a slight additional amount beyond its normal working position, at which time the pressure port 399 will be interconnected by annular groove 398 to port 298 which will thereby cause fluid to flow through channel 291 to the right hand end oi. valve 299, and thereby positively shift the plunger to the proper position. This possible because the pressure of. the fluid plus the pressure of spring 399 will be greater than the pressure 45 on the opposite end of the plunger.

When the profiling operation is completed, and the operator desires to disengage the tracer from the'pattern, he moves the control valve 392 to its hand position which'thereby shifts the tracer 9 engagement control valve to its right hand position, which permits the operator to rotate the hand wheel 226 to such a direction that it is possible for him to steer the tracer out of engagement with the pattern. In other words, the hand 5 lever 393 serves as a means for selecting between manual guiding of the tracer by the hand wheel or automatic guiding of .the tracer by power means.

When the cycle control valve is in the hori- 60 zontal automatic position, the tracer moves in a circumambulatory path about the pattern, and without more, this is satisfactory for pure outlining purposes. The movement is purely twodimensional. This podtion of the cycle control valve is also utilizedfor die-sinking purposes, involving three-dimensional movement by the utilization of additional means new to be described, which eflects an additional relative movement between the tracer-and pattern and between the cutter and work in a direction at right angles to the plane of the previously described profiling operation. This means is more particularly shown in Figures 8, 10, 13, 17, and 28. The hydraulic 75 motor "I, which has the gear I33 integrally connected thereto, has another gear 323 superimposed in co-axial relation to the gear I33 and connected thereto by means of a pin 329 integral with gear 323 and riding in a groove 333 formed in the upper face ofgear I33, this groove being circular in form but discontinuous whereby a lost motion connection is created between the gear I33 and the gear 323.

This gear intermeshes with a gear 33I which. as shown in Figure 17, has an elongated hub 332, to the upper end of which is formed a friction disc 333. This friction disc is engaged by a friction wheel 334 splined on a shaft 335 which supports the wheel 334 in a plane at right angles to the face of the disc 333. The gear 33I is capable of limited. axial movement, and a spring 335 mounted in an axial bore 331 in the hub in serves to maintain sufllcient pressure between the frictional members so that one will drive the other. A fixed abutment 333 is provided for the spring, and to reduce friction, a ball 339 is interposed between the abutment and one end of the spring.

Variation in the rate of rotation of the shaft 335 by the gear 33I is obtained by mounting the 'lever 344 having integral therewith a pointer 343 movable with' respect to a fixed dial 345 to indicate the amount of vertical movement for each rotation of the tracer head.

As shown in Figure 17, the shaft 335has a bevel gear 341 fixed to the end thereof for interengagement with bevel gears 343 and 349, slideably keyed on the reduced end 353 of the lead screw 233. Springs 35I normally act to maintain the gears 343 and 349 in engagement with the gear 341 whereby the lead screw 233 is normally held against rotation. A member 352 which is held against axial movement with respect to the lead screw is interposed between the evel gears 343 and 349, and has slideably mounted therein a pair of fluid actuable pistons 353 and 354. The piston 353 abuts the'face of bevel gear 349 for shifting the same out of engagement with bevel gear 341. The piston 354 abuts the bevel. gear 343'for moving 'the same out of engagement with bevel gear341. As shown in Figure 28, the pistons 353 and 354 are connected by the respective channels 355 and 353 second cross bore 333, which is adapted to be moved by the manual operable handle 331 to position the same in communication with either port 331or port 333 whereby fluid pressure may be selectively supplied'to either plunger 354 or plunger 353 to disengage either gear 343 or 343 from driving engagement with bevel gear 341.

The plunger 333 alsohas a pair of axial extending grooves 333 and 333 formed in its periphery, which grooves, as shown in Figure 18, extend to one end of the plunger to form exhaust grooves. In Figure 28 these grooves are diagrammatically illustrated as connected to an exhaust channel 313. As shown in Figure 26, the handle 331 has pointers 31I and 312 on opposite ends thereof, which cooperate with suitable indicia on' the plate 313 to indicate in which direction the resultant movement will take place, and taking into consideration the fact of whether the tracer is engaging the exterior or the interior of a pattern. The latter is necessary because the tracer head construction and control circuit is so designed that when the tracer is deflected after movement in a rectilinear direction by an object, it will always change its direction toward the right when viewedfrom the starting end of the rectilinear path. Thus, the operator determines first whether'the tracer is engaging an external or internal surface and then turns the handle 331 in the desired direction from the central position shown, to obtain the desired direction of progressive feed.

The cycle control valve is adjustable to a second position termed vertical" as shown in Figure 26, and in this position the tracer is capable of automatically following an irregular profile which lies in a vertical plane. In this position of the cycle control valve the rotary hydraulic motor I 3I is disconnected from the tracer control valve and the vertical cylinder 221 connected in its stead. The direction in a horizontal plane in which this movement will take place will always be determined by the rotatable position of the hand wheel 226, or in other words, in the direction in which the arrow thereon points. This direction may be changed at any time by merely manually rotating the hand wheel 223. In other words, in this 40 cycle of operation the direction of movement is manually controlled and varied, the tracer merely automatically controlling the vertical position of the tracer and cutter., In the various sections of the cycle control valve, Figure 28, the valve plungeris shown in the proper position to eifect this cycle of operation. Briefly, the connections are'as follows.

The upper end of cylinder 221 is connected through channel 233, cross bore I91 (section I33) and channel 2! to port 235 of the tracer valve. The lower end of cylinder 221 is connected by channel 235, cross bore I99 (section I35) and channel 232 to port 233 of the tracer controlled valve. Thus, upward or downward movement of the tracer from a neutral position will connect the pressure port 231 selectively to the upper or lower end of cylinder 221, causing a corresponding movement thereof;

The channel I32 of motor I3I is interconnected through port I9I, groove 314, port 193 (section' I33) to channel I33, whereby the hand wheel223 may be rotated because rotation of the hand wheel. causes simultaneous rotation of the motor "I, and since the two motor ports are interconnected, the fluid may freely flow from one side 'of the motor to the other.

It will also be noted, at this time, that delivery line 2I3 of pump 2 is connected through the connections shown in section I33 of the cycle control valve to channel 233 and thereby to plunger 232, which rotates the segment 253 out of engagement with the servo-lead screw 233.

The manner in which the tracer is engaged with'thepattem for thistypeofcycle willnowli 

